Raising aspirations for women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
My name is Delia and I studied BSc (Hons) Environmental Science at the University of Portsmouth, and since graduating I have been working in the field of sustainability. For the past year I have poured my soul, and energy into an amazing London-based start up called OLIO. It is a food sharing app connecting neighbours with each and volunteers with local businesses so good food can be used and not thrown away.
I was keen to do right by our planet and I believed that the first step was to understand how the planet works and what impact our actions have environmentally. Studying environmental science seemed to combine all these elements. I learned about the pressing issues our natural environment faces and it motivated me further to seek a career in the sustainability field.
It is funny when you think back at the events that shape your future. For me it was a local charity visiting my school to give a presentation on sustainability and protecting the environment. At the time that kind of thinking was quite new for Romania and it felt exciting, like something I should be a part of. The course I wanted to study was in Portsmouth so it was a big decision to move overseas at 19 but I knew with certainty that it was the right path for me and I went for it.
What I would say to young women considering a future in STEM is only you can decide the rest of your life, be bold and courageous and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. If you are passionate about a subject, your background or gender are not an indicator of how you’ll perform. Only your commitment and determination will be.
This blog post was written by Delia Gadea, Romania.